gas mileage

Tire Inflation

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Putting all political posturing aside, it’s foolish to downplay the importance of proper tire pressure. Simply put, a properly inflated set of tires allow a vehicle to operate as it was designed. When one or more tires are under-inflated, performance is negatively effected; the vehicle’s ride and handling will suffer, along with its gas mileage.

The term “where the rubber meets the road” directly applies to this issue. A properly inflated tire provides the optimum contact patch (the section of rubber that touches the road surface). An under-inflated tire, on the other hand, has a larger contact patch with increased rolling resistance. More friction where the rubber meets the road means your engine has to work harder, thus lowering fuel efficiency.

Straight line friction’s just part of the equation. Poor handling is an even larger culprit.

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Acura Gas Mileage

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Over the years, Acura has achieved a well-earned reputation for fuel-efficiency among the premium imports. Highway gas mileage for the current RL, TL, and TSX lines run from the mid to high twenty mile per gallon (MPG) range. Although the 2009 Acura TSX (shown below) produces solid MPG ratings for a performance-oriented vehicle (20/28 with the five-speed automatic and 21/30 with the six-speed manual transmission), a much more fuel-efficient diesel option is waiting in the wings.

2009 Acura TSX

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Chevy S10 Gas Mileage

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The compact Chevrolet S10 pickup truck premiered as a 1982 model and was replaced by the Colorado after the 2004 model year. When equipped with the most fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the S10’s gas mileage ratings floated in the high twenty mile per gallon (MPG) highway range for much of its run. For a time in the 1980s, the S10 could be ordered with a 2.2 liter four-cylinder diesel engine.

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Cadillac Escalade Gas Mileage

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It comes as no surprise that gas mileage has never been one of the Cadillac Escalade’s strong suits. Over the years, the Escalade’s gas mileage has never exceeded 20 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway, while its city mileage has dwelt in the low teens. Get ready for a magic makeover for one of America’s most indulgent gas hogs. All that changes with the brand new 2009 Escalade Hybrid, which promises a whopping fifty percent improvement in city mileage.

The 2009 Escalade Hybrid’s 2-Mode Hybrid system mates a special transmission and battery pack to the big 6.0 liter V-8 to deliver 20 city and 21 highway MPG. At low speeds, the Escalade Hybrid can be propelled solely under electric power. At higher speeds, the gasoline engine and electric motor work in tandem. When you really put your foot in it, the gasoline engine takes over. Active Fuel Management shuts down half of the V-8’s cylinders under light loads to achive better gas mileage while cruising at highway speeds. Auto engine shut off turns the gasoline engine off when the Escalade Hybrid is stopped, saving additional fuel.

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Diesel Mileage: 1998 – 2008

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The choices thinned for diesel owners in America in the years between 1998 and 2008, with Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz continuing to be the only manufacturers to offer diesel passenger cars in the United States. Budget conscious Jetta, Golf, Passat, and Beetle TDI owners enjoyed excellent mileage throughout the period, benefiting from VWs commitment to the market. 1999 marked the last year for a domestic diesel SUV – with the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe – until Jeep ever-so-briefly bolted a VM Motori diesel under the hood of the domestic Liberty. 1998 saw the last of the light diesel pickup trucks with the GMC and Chevy K2500 and C1500 models, as diesel-power retreated to the heavy-duty trucks. The end of this period offers hints of the clean diesel revolution, with Jeep’s introduction of the world-class six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz diesel in the Grand Cherokee CRD.

Diesel Mileage: 1998 – 2008

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